Leveraging Sustainable Change: Hospital Conversion as a Catalyst for Community Health Partnerships


Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

5002.0: Wednesday, December 14, 2005 - Board 10

Abstract #117817

James M. Deshotels, MSN, MPH, Daughters of Charity Services of New Orleans, 3900 So. Carrollton Ave., New Orleans, LA 70118, David J. Ward, MHSA, President & CEO, Daughters of Charity Services of New Orleans, 3900 So. Carrollton Ave., New Orleans, MA 70118, 504-482-2080 ext 234, warddj1@aol.com, Robert Post, MD, School of Medicine, Louisiana State University, 1542 Tulane Ave., New Orleans, LA 70112, Sister Judith Bright, MSW, Archdiocese of New Orleans, Catholic Charities, 1000 Howard Ave., New Orleans, LA 70113, and Ellis Johann Bultmann, MBA, LSUHSC Foundation, Louisiana State Hospital Health Sciences Center, 2000 Tulane Ave., New Orleans, LA 70112.

In 1992 the Daughters of Charity transferred ownership of Hotel Dieu Hospital to the State of Louisiana. Some feared that it was the end of the Daughters' 167-year role in caring for the “sick-poor” of New Orleans. The reinvented ministry has served as a catalyst for the building of over 20 community health enterprises. These enterprises have filled gaps in primary care, mental health, and clinical preventive health services, as well as re-engineered health care delivery across the public-private safety net.

The paper tracks the former hospital's community engagement process, organizing principles for the health enterprises that emerged, and gauges its measurable outcomes. In terms of resources, these enterprises have received over $20 million from Ascension Health, national health system, and a matching amount from federal, national and regional grant-makers.

Learning Objectives:

After this session the participant will be able to

1. discuss the processes and pitfalls of conversion from faith-based hospital-based care to community-based care
2. discuss the impact of faith-base and mission on the conversion process
3. understand how mission-focused and population-focused leadership can leverage existing assets and draw assets from and into a community health system

Keywords: Community Capacity, Health Centers

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Connecting Faith to Evidence Based Approaches

The 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition (December 10-14, 2005) of APHA